Brant TOLSMA Head Coach 23rd Year at Liberty Newark Coll. of Engineering, Time Big South Track & Field Coach of the Year

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Brant Tolsma Brant TOLSMA Head Coach 23rd Year at Liberty Newark Coll.

He was brought to Liberty in 1986 by former Liberty track and field coach, Jake Matthes, to serve as the head men s track and field coach.

The cross country and track and field teams have won 74 conference titles (including Big South, IC4A and Mason-Dixon) since his arrival on campus.

1 Brant Tolsma Brant TOLSMA Head Coach 23rd Year at Liberty Newark Coll. of Engineering, Time Big South Track & Field Coach of the Year Now in his 23rd year at Liberty, Brant Tolsma is the head coach of the men s and women s cross country and track and field teams. He was brought to Liberty in 1986 by former Liberty track and field coach, Jake Matthes, to serve as the head men s track and field coach. By 1991, Tolsma had assumed each of the coaching positions he still holds today. Under Tolsma s guidance, the Liberty program has enjoyed considerable success. The cross country and track and field teams have won 74 conference titles (including Big South, IC4A and Mason-Dixon) since his arrival on campus. Tolsma has won 39 Big South Coach of the Year honors and twice was named the NCAA District Coach of the Year. His athletes have earned 36 All-America honors since the program moved to the NCAA Division I level in Two of his student-athletes have captured individual national titles. Heather (Sagan) Zealand won the mile at the 2002 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships, while Josh McDougal crossed the line first at the 2007 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. Tolsma s student-athletes have also excelled in the classroom during his tenure at Liberty. Last season, his son-in-law, senior Clendon Henderson, was a first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American. Henderson became the sixth Liberty cross country or track and field athlete to earn Academic All-America status under Tolsma s direction. (L-R): Nancy, Tami and Brant Tolsma Tolsma s coaching career began at Campbell in Buies Creek, N.C. He served as the head cross country and track and field coach there for seven years. During his time as a collegiate head coach, 20 of his athletes have represented the USA in international competitions. Tolsma completed his undergraduate work with summa cum laude distinction in 1971 at Newark College of Engineering, since renamed New Jersey Institute of Technology. He went on to earn a master s degree in hydraulic engineering from Michigan and a Ph.D. in the biomechanics of sport from Indiana. Tolsma s doctoral dissertation was entitled Leg Dynamics of Maximum Speed Sprinting. Tolsma has published several articles about track and field training and released a book, The Surrendered Christian Athlete, which expounds the role of the Christian faith in athletics. He has also designed several athletic training devices. When he can find time, Tolsma still actively trains and competes in track and field. He won his age group in the Masters National Decathlon Championship in 1993 and in He placed second at the World Veterans Games decathlon in 1995 and at the 2002 World Double-Decathlon Championship in Finland. Tolsma twice held the world record for men over 50 in the double decathlon, a two-day, 20-event competition which includes all of the track and field disciplines. In October 2007, Tolsma broke his age group s world record for the one-day double decathlon, at the Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex. Tolsma also set an age group (55-60) world record for the double heptathlon in December 2008, while competing at Liberty s indoor track and field facility bearing his name. Currently serving as president of the International Association of Ultra Multi-events, Tolsma has raced nearly every competitive distance from 50 meters to 50 miles. The latter he did to celebrate reaching age 50. Tolsma enjoys a number of sports and fitness activities, especially water-skiing and springboard diving. Nancy, his wife of 33 years, is the mother of his six children, Michelle, who is married to former Liberty tennis player Matthew Schley, Rachel, Brenda, who is married to current assistant track and field coach Clendon Henderson, Regina, Joey and Tami, a freshman on the Liberty women s track and field team. Tolsma has two grandsons, Jacob and Bradon, as well as a granddaughter, Eliana. Tolsma set his age group s double heptathlon world record in Flames - 25 Big South Championships & 3 IC4A Titles

Brant Tolsma Tolsma By The Numbers 2 Number of NCAA Division I national champions he has coached. 6 Number of children he and his wife of 33 years, Nancy, have raised.

2 Brant Tolsma Tolsma By The Numbers 2 Number of NCAA Division I national champions he has coached. 6 Number of children he and his wife of 33 years, Nancy, have raised. 14 Number of NCAA Division I All-Americans he has coached at Liberty. Coach Tolsma poses with Coastal Carolina Head Coach Alan Connie, after winning one of his many Big South Coach of the Year awards. 39 Number of Big South Coach of the Year awards he has won, including cross country and track & field. 74 Number of conference titles his Liberty teams have won. Athlete Improvements Under Tolsma Name H.S. Best Liberty Best Willie Parker Mike Decker Johnny Prettyman 800-2: :50.7 Chuck Lyngaas 800-1: :49.60 Travis Campbell 800-1: :51.37 Heather Sagan 1,600-5:12 1,500-4: ,200-11:36 3K-9:34.54 Ashley Osborne 5K (XC)-19:50 5K-16:42.79 Carol Jefferson 5K (XC)-19:40 10K-34:37.27 Josh McDougal 5K (XC)-14:07 5K-13:20.43 Delethea Quarles 100H H-13.5 Kevin Coley LJ-23-0 LJ Michael Prettyman PV-DNA PV Andrea Wildrick PV-DNA PV Arlene Zelinskas HJ-DNA HJ Jonisha Saunders TJ-DNA TJ-40-7 Name H.S. Best Liberty Best Clendon Henderson Disc Disc Shot-43-6 Shot Jon Hart Ham-DNA Ham Shad Bolen Jav-DNA Jav Elliot Galeone Jav-DNA Jav Brandon Hoskins Dec-DNA Dec-7,800 Danielle McNaney Hep-4,600 Hep-5,504 Code: DNA = Did not attempt XC = Cross Country LJ = Long jump PV = Pole vault HJ = High jump TJ = Triple jump Dec = Decathlon Hep = Heptathlon Lady Flames - 18 Big South Championships 7

Lance Bingham Lance BINGHAM Associate Head Coach 11th Year at Liberty Texas Tech, 85 2008 USTFCCCA SE Region Men s Asst.

Most recently, he rejoined the team as Associate Head Coach on the Flames staff in 2004-05.

Last year, Bingham helped guide the Liberty men s track and field program to one of its most successful seasons ever.

3 Lance Bingham Lance BINGHAM Associate Head Coach 11th Year at Liberty Texas Tech, USTFCCCA SE Region Men s Asst. Coach of the Year Lance Bingham has served two different stints on the Liberty track and field coaching staff, totaling 11 years. Most recently, he rejoined the team as Associate Head Coach on the Flames staff in In the last four-plus seasons, he has helped guide the Liberty men s and women s track and field teams to a combined 11 conference titles. Last year, Bingham helped guide the Liberty men s track and field program to one of its most successful seasons ever. The Flames swept the Big South indoor and outdoor team championships and successfully defended their IC4A outdoor crown. Bingham has been a part of the Liberty coaching staff for all three IC4A championship seasons (1996, 2007 & 2008). Bingham, who primarily works with the field event and multievent athletes, saw three of his charges (Jon Hart, Clendon Henderson and Brandon Hoskins) qualify for the 2008 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Additionally, Henderson took part in the U.S. Olympic Trials. As a result, Bingham was duly recognized as the 2008 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Southeast Regional Men s of the Year. During his time away from Liberty, Bingham spent three years as the head coach at South Plains Junior College in Levelland, Texas, where he was named the 2004 National Junior College Outdoor Coach of the Year. At South Plains Junior College, Bingham s athletes won 13 individual national championships and earned 33 All-America honors in track and cross country, while the 2002 women s marathon squad won the national championship. On two separate occasions, his men s teams earned a third-place finish at the national championship meet. Prior to his tenure at South Plains, he served as an assistant coach at Liberty for six seasons, where he was primarily responsible for assisting with multi-event athletes and field events. As an assistant coach for the Flames, he coached seven Division I All-Americans. During his competitive days, Bingham was an All-America decathlete at South Plains Junior College, finishing second at nationals in 1982 and 1983 with a personal best of 7,510 points. He went on to compete at Texas Tech, where he also played football. Bingham graduated cum laude from Texas Tech with a bachelor s degree in physical education and earned his masters of education from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. Bingham and his wife of 21 years, Kelly, have two children, Brittany (19) and Cody (16). Notable Coaching Honors 2004 National Junior College Outdoor Track Coach of the Year 2008 USTFCCCA Southeast Region Men s Assistant Track Coach of the Year 8 Flames - 25 Big South Championships & 3 IC4A Titles

es Andrew Pete McFADDEN Third Year at Liberty Liberty, 98 Andrew Pete McFadden is a part of the Liberty track & field coaching staff for the third straight year.

Since McFadden joined the coaching staff, the Flames have won six Big South team championships and the men s squad has captured back-to-back IC4A outdoor titles (2007 & 2008).

4 es Andrew Pete McFADDEN Third Year at Liberty Liberty, 98 Andrew Pete McFadden is a part of the Liberty track & field coaching staff for the third straight year. After serving in a parttime role during the 2007 season, he is working full-time with the Flames sprinters for a second season in Since McFadden joined the coaching staff, the Flames have won six Big South team championships and the men s squad has captured back-to-back IC4A outdoor titles (2007 & 2008). He was a standout sprinter for the Flames in the mid to late 90s and still holds the Big South Championship meet record at 100 meters with his effort in The same season, he led off for Liberty s victorious 4 x 100 meter relay squad at the IC4A Championship, helping the Flames capture the team title. The quartet ran a school-record seconds. In total, he was a six-time All-East selection at 100 meters, 200 meters and in the 4 x 100 relay. McFadden also excelled on the football field at Liberty. He played for the 1995 Flames who went 8-3 and were ranked 19th nationally. That season, McFadden returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged a school record 37.8 yards per return. His 93-yard punt return against Delaware State is still a school record. At season s end, he was named a first-team All-American as a return specialist by both the Football Gazette and the Sports Network. McFadden participated in the Indianapolis Colts 1998 preseason training camp, but was released just before the team s last cut. He then spent the 1999 season with the Portland Forest Dragons of the Arena Football League. In addition to his position on the Flames coaching staff, he works part-time with troubled youth in Lynchburg, as a homebased therapist. He also works with an inner-city youth group at Power of God Deliverance Church in Lynchburg. Clendon HENDERSON First Year at Liberty Liberty, 08 Clendon Henderson joins the Liberty track & field staff as an assistant coach, after becoming the second Flames track & field athlete ever to become both an All-American and an Academic All-American. The other double honoree, Heather Zealand, is also a part of the current Liberty track & field coaching staff. Henderson, who will work primarily with Liberty s throwers, hopes to inspire improvements like the ones he enjoyed during his collegiate career. The Meadow, Texas native boosted his shot put from a 43-6 high school personal best to as a college senior and took his discus from in high school to Henderson s All-America certificate was earned during his final college meet, the 2008 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. The senior recorded a thirdplace finish in the discus final, becoming the first thrower in Liberty history to win All-America recognition. He ended his career with three Liberty and Big South records, including indoor shot put ( ), outdoor shot put (61-3) and discus (204-3). Henderson, who graduated with a 3.72 grade-point average in kinesiology in May 2008, garnered many academic awards, headlined by his first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All- America notation. At Meadow High School, also the alma mater of Liberty associate head track & field coach Lance Bingham, Henderson starred in both track & field and six-man football. He then began his collegiate career under Bingham s tutelage at South Plains College. As a sophomore at South Plains in 2005, Henderson was a junior college All-American, after placing second in the discus at the national meet. Henderson was married to Coach Brant Tolsma s daughter Brenda in June 2007, and the couple resides in the Lynchburg area. He is still training, with the aim of competing in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. Lady Flames - 18 Big South Championships 9

es Heather ZEALAND Seventh Year at Liberty Liberty, 02 Heather Zealand is in her seventh year on Liberty s cross country and track and field coaching staff. The native of Warrenton, Va.

Since Zealand has been on staff, the Liberty men s and women s cross country squads have combined to win five Big South titles.

5 es Heather ZEALAND Seventh Year at Liberty Liberty, 02 Heather Zealand is in her seventh year on Liberty s cross country and track and field coaching staff. The native of Warrenton, Va., joined the staff after becoming the most prolific women s cross country and track and field athlete in program history. Since Zealand has been on staff, the Liberty men s and women s cross country squads have combined to win five Big South titles. In addition to aiding the team s distance corps, Zealand coordinates team travel and other budget-related issues was Zealand s finest year as a runner. She became Liberty s first NCAA Division I national champion, capturing the national title in the mile at the indoor track and field championship meet. Her time of 4:38.52 set Liberty and Big South Conference records. In the track and field season of the same year, Zealand was undefeated in the 800 meters, the 1500 meters and the mile until finishing as the national runner-up in the 1,500 at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Along the way, Zealand became the first collegiate winner of the Penn Relays Olympic Development mile since Vicki Huber in The year brought numerous accolades, including Big South Women s Athlete of the Year, Big South Track and Field Athlete of the Year and First-Team Verizon Academic All-American. Zealand was selected the Rock Royer/Mac Rivera Award honoree. After graduating from Liberty with a bachelor s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language in 2002, Zealand began to compete professionally for Adidas. She traveled to the 2003 World Cross Country Championships, where she was the second American to finish. In 2004, Zealand made the finals of the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 1,500 meters. She ran a 4:10.47 in the prelims at the event. Zealand is married to former Flames runner Josh Zealand and the couple has a daughter, Alyssa (2) and a son, William (born in July 2008). Josh McDOUGAL Graduate Assistant First Year at Liberty Liberty, 08 Josh McDougal, the 2007 NCAA National Cross Country Champion and a 14-time All-American, has joined the Liberty track & field coaching staff as a graduate assistant. McDougal, who will help coach the distance runners at his alma mater, earned four All-America honors in cross country, seven in indoor track & field and three in outdoor track & field. When he graduated, he owned Liberty s 8K and 10K cross country records, as well as every indoor and outdoor track & field school record from 1,500 meters through 10,000 meters. His outdoor 5,000-meter personal best (13:20.43) makes him the sixth-fastest collegiate performer of all-time. The pinnacle achievement of the Peru, N.Y., native s college career came on Nov. 19, 2007, when he outkicked Oregon s Galen Rupp to capture the NCAA Division I National Cross Country title by one second. McDougal became the first men s athlete in Liberty history to capture a NCAA Division I national championship and recorded his 23rd victory in 27 collegiate cross country races. McDougal also won numerous Big South Conference honors during his career, including a trio of Big South Howard Bagwell Male Athlete of the Year distinctions and four Big South Male Track & Field Athlete of the Year awards. A 17-time Big South individual champion, McDougal helped the Flames win 10 Big South team championships during his four years with the Flames. McDougal enjoyed success at the IC4A meet as well, capturing seven individual event titles. At the 2007 IC4A Outdoor Track & Field Championships, McDougal swept the men s 1,500, 5K and 10K championships for the first time in the meet s 132-year history. His efforts enabled the Flames to capture the IC4A team championship for the first time since McDougal, who now competes professionally for Nike, lives and trains in the Lynchburg area. He graduated with a bachelor s degree in kinesiology in May 2007 and is currently pursuing a master s degree in human services at Liberty. 10 Flames - 25 Big South Championships & 3 IC4A Titles

January Tolsma Indoor Track

January Tolsma Indoor Track Meet Information 2014 Flames H.S. Invite January 10-11 Tolsma Indoor Track Liberty Flames Invite January 10-11, 2014 Entries: All teams must enter through Direct Athletics at www.directathletics.com You